


Terminology

by HuiLian



Category: Batgirl (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Ballet, I just love cass with ballet, Ms. Sita is an OC, i think, okay?, she's loosely based on my ballet teacher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 14:24:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14046201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HuiLian/pseuds/HuiLian
Summary: Ballet is good. The names, however, are frustrating.





	Terminology

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, something my almost 15 years of ballet can be useful for! By the way, quick fact, not all ballet teacher is a strict old woman with a cane.

 

Cass loved ballet. Yet learning it is exasperating.   
  
She loved to see how the dancers, the ones onstage, could glide across the stage, could land as soft as a feather, and could hold their balance in precarious positions. She wanted to be able to do that. That hasn't changed.   
  
What has changed was her desire to be able to memorize ballet movement's names.  
  
In fighting it is simple. Punch, kick, dodge. Cass didn't have to know the names to be able to execute them flawlessly.   
  
But in ballet, you need to memorize the names of the movement. The teacher would often just say the names, and everyone in her class, except her, would do them without delay. The fact that Cass was the only one who couldn't understand the names frustrates her.   
  
The names themselves did not help. Alfred said that ballet movements names are from another language. Was it Italian? Or Latin? No. No, it was French. Alfred said that the names are taken from French words.  
  
Cass just barely managed to understand English. She did not understand French. She did not need, nor want, to understand French.   
  
“All right, Class! Four battement tendu devant, then do a four-count ronde jambe, then four battement tendu derriere, and another four-count ronde jambe. Do two two-counts a la seconde, and three one-counts. Rest on the eight, and then repeat from the back," her ballet teacher, Ms. Sita, said.  
  
Cass only understood the first sentence. Everyone else in her class was already in position, ready to do the combination, and she was still processing what she was supposed to do.   
  
It resulted in her was always being a beat behind, only able to move after she had watched the girl in front of her do the movement.   
  
Cass glanced to the mirror. The sight she saw was not satisfactory. She was throwing the whole harmony, the whole beauty of the movement.   
  
“Okay! Turn around, we'll do it from the left!”  
  
Ah, now it was better. Cass already knew what was going to be done, so she did not need to peek at the girl in front of her.   
  
Cass was finally enjoying her class, when suddenly the music stops and Ms. Sita listed another set of movements to be done.  
  
Cass was behind again.   
  
This process repeated for the whole length of the class. Cass would finally be getting the movements, and then the teacher would give a new one, and she was left clueless again.   
  
After class, Cass went to change from her leotard to her street clothes when Ms. Sita called her.   
  
“Cassandra? Can you come here for a moment?”  
  
Cass' heart stopped. Would Ms. Sita tell her she was unfit to dance? Would she asked Cass to stop coming to her ballet class?  
  
“I noticed you falling behind in class today. What is the problem?”  
  
Cass couldn't speak. She could not.   
  
Yet Ms. Sita's smile did not waver. “Is it the names that's giving you trouble?”  
  
Cass was stunned. Slowly, she nodded her head.   
  
Ms. Sita's smile widen. “Ah, I knew it. Don't worry too much about the names. Most new dancers can't memorize them either.”  
  
“It's… normal?”  
  
“Oh, yes. Ballet terminology is very difficult to memorize. Let's see how we can help you through this.”  
  
Ms. Sita stood up and paced around the room a bit. Cass could see concentration, she could see a hint of frustration, but the thing that surprised her, was that she could see affection.   
  
“Hmmm, you can copy out the movements just fine….” Ms. Sita turned back towards Cass. “What if when I give a new combination, I do the movements while saying the names. Will that help?”  
  
Cass thought about it. It would help. She would be able to know what she needs to do on the combination. Cass nodded her head.   
  
Ms. Sita nodded back. “Okay! Great! That's all for today. I'll see you next class!”  


***

  
The next time Cass went to class, Ms. Sita demonstrated each movement while saying the name at the same time. Cass enjoyed that class significantly more.   
  
What's more, at the end of class, Ms. Sita gave her a small smile and a nod of approval.   
  
Cass found herself returning the smile

**Author's Note:**

> I finished a workshop with my whole body feeling sore, and I decided to write this? I might do a sequel... I love writing Cass doing ballet. Anyway, check out my tumblr (huilian.tumblr.com)


End file.
